A family was asked to leave an Outback Steakhouse in Maryland because of another diner's complaint.

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10 months ago

Eat and Leave, Restaurant Tells Family of Special Needs Child

Newser — Bob Cronin

Amanda Braun has a $20 credit for Outback Steakhouse that she can use anytime. She doesn't think so. Braun says her family was having dinner last weekend at an Outback in Glen Burnie, Maryland, when a manager asked them to finish eating and leave, WJLA reports.

Another customer had complained about the noises her son was making, the manager said. Braun's 4-year-old son, Killian, has a neurological disorder that affects his speech.

The speech muscles of those with childhood apraxia of speech don't work normally, per the Washington Post, because the brain struggles to coordinate their movements.

Their pronunciation may seem distorted.

The restaurant chain says it has apologized to the family. "We're learning from what happened and training our team so we can better serve our diverse guest population," the company said in a statement.

Outback also has offered to make a donation to an organization that works with Killian. His mother, who posted an account on Facebook, said she hopes her story helps others learn to accommodate children with special needs.